National Endowment for the Humanities
The House Un-American Activities Committee
Was the House Un-American Activities Committee justified in investigating subversive influences in the entertainment industry? Part two of the three-part series of lessons that examine the anti-communism movement after World War II,...
University of California
Anti-Communism at Home
Have you ever been accused of something without cause? The sixth installment of an eight-part series asks scholars to create a museum exhibit on the anti-communist activities in the United States at the start of the Cold War. To make...
University of California
Containing Communism Abroad
Learn more about the policy of the United States to contain communism during the Cold War. The fifth installment of an eight-part series looks at primary and secondary materials about a challenging time in history. After analyzing the...
DocsTeach
Introduction to the Domino Theory and Containment Policy in Vietnam
Scholars analyze a propaganda poster against communism. The resource uses the poster to examine the domino theory and containment policies used by the United States to stop the spread of communism in Vietnam. Scholars work in pairs or...
EngageNY
Rereading and Close Reading: Communism, “The Vietnam Wars,” and “Last Respects” (Pages 85 and 86)
What might a papaya symbolize? Using the resource, scholars look for examples of symbolism in the novel Inside Out & Back Again. They also participate in a silent discussion called a Chalk Talk, writing their responses to a...
Curated OER
The Rise and Fall of Joseph McCarthy
Students analyze documents, cartoons, speeches and articles about Joseph McCarthy and his crusade against "Un-American" activities. They guide their research with a worksheet and participate in class discussions about their findings.
Curated OER
Russia's Conversion From Communism to Capitalism
Learners study Russia's conversion from a communist nation to a capitalist nation.
Curated OER
The Declaration Versus The Communist Manifesto
Upper graders put their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution to the test when they are asked to mark which of several statements are from either the Constitution or the Communist Manifesto. A class discussion follows. Use this resource as...
Curated OER
Communism
Sixth graders study how Russian government has changed and how the attitudes of people have changed as a result of these political changes, while learning how to write a persuasive paper, type paragraphs, and use WP utilities.
Curated OER
The Red Scare
Students identify and interpret issues of Nativism and Protectionism in early 20th Century America. They analyze the roots of anti-immigrant movements in the Post-World War One United States. Finally, students identify and explore the...
Curated OER
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Examine the life of Arthur Miller and the characters in one of his well-known plays, The Crucible. The first few slides give background information on Miller as well as Senator McCarthy and the blacklisted celebrities during the...
Curated OER
World Governments and Mapping Activity
Here you will find maps, great informational text, and vital information on political systems and government. The slide show provides material on democratic and nondemocratic systems of government as well as a map activity intended to...
DocsTeach
Containment in Korea: Entering the Korean War
An interesting resource explores President Truman's decision to enter into the Korean War to contain the spread of communism. Historians analyze the document using an online worksheet before participating in group discussion on the...
DocsTeach
Analyzing US Involvement in the Vietnam War
War: unavoidable or a necessary evil? A thought-provoking activity explores the United States' long involvement in the Vietnam War as well as the aftermath. Scholars research and summarize primary documents and complete online worksheets...
DocsTeach
Analyzing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Original Draft Resolution)
Breaking news, President Johnson addresses the nation! Scholars watch a video of President Johnson's address to Congress regarding the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. The activity focuses on the motivation behind the resolution and the...
Curated OER
Communism and Containment
Students "discover" top secret documents that describe the "Patriot" program. They are assigned the task of educating the American people about the threat of Soviets taking over America, including the key points of the Truman Doctrine...
DocsTeach
Nixon Visits China: The Week that Changed the World
Sometimes one trip shakes up the entire world. When President Richard Nixon traveled to China, he defied international and political boundaries. Nixon was the first American president to visit mainland China, which was a communist nation...
Curated OER
Capitalism and Communism: What's the Difference?
Students discover the differences between capitalism and communism. They participate in a simulation activity in which they examine Marx's philosphy of communism. They also examine Zapatista communities.
Curated OER
Communist Revolution
High schoolers examine the Russian Communist Revolution of 1917. They watch and discuss a video, take notes and answer video discussion questions, and read and evaluate newspaper articles about how Lenin and Stalin are viewed today in...
Curated OER
China and Communism
Sixth graders discuss what might happen if United States government took over media ownership, read Junior Scholastic article entitled "China Looks to the Future," and create chart comparing Chinese Communist government to United States...
Curated OER
McCarthyism: The Effects of the Anti-Communism Fear
Students read a flowchart and look at corresponding photos to explore the anti-communist fears in the mid-twentieth century and the impact Senator Joseph McCarthy had on those fears.
Curated OER
South Koreans in the Vietnam War
Young scholars consider why South Koreans fought in the Vietnam War. In this Vietnam War lesson, high schoolers engage in an activity through which they investigate why South Koreans fought in the Vietnam War and how their participation...
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
Henry Kissinger and Detente
How did relations between the United States and the People's Republic of China evolve between 1950 and 1970? Your young historians will complete a timeline of events with evidence that the relationship between these two great nations was...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Rise and Fall of Joseph McCarthy
"I have here in my hand . . ." The war against Communism and Joseph McCarthy’s place in it are the focus of a series of lessons examining postwar America from 1945-1954. Joseph McCarthy takes center stage in this, the final lesson plan...